Chapter 38: The Best is Yet To Come
February 27, 2683; 0431 Hours
Remnant, Mistral (Wilderness)
"Colonel, visual confirmed on the Fang HQ." Sergeant Celese explained, ducking under a branch as she approached Ivan's position. This was the same Faunus that had approached him after the nearly-botched party at the Schnee Estate in Vale and joined him on Menagerie. "We've got mines on the approach."
"Any foot patrols?" Ivan asked, looking up from the scope of his sniper rifle. "Weapon emplacements?"
"None visible on the approach, sir." Celese answered, shaking her head. "The outer structure is well-defended, though. Seems to be built into the mountain."
"Blake, anything you can tell me about what's inside the defenses?" Ivan asked, looking over to Blake.
She sighed, running through her memories as she peered through a rangefinder. "It's been years, but… I remember a lot of heavy weapons inside. They probably have some Covenant weapons, too."
"Good point…" Ivan admitted. He was given complete command over this assault, so the choice ultimately fell to him. "Alright…" He began, keying into the Battlenet. "Vulture-1, this is Chesnokov. Break off from holding pattern and prepare for an attack run on marked targets. Laser designator."
"Copy that, Colonel." Vulture-1, the leader of a wing of Shortsword Bombers, acknowledged. "ETA: two minutes."
"Third Battalion, Shortsword run inbound." Ivan keyed into the Third Battalion's comms. "Prepare to move."
Ivan tuned out the calls of affirmation from the various companies within the battalion, turning to Cinder, Yang, Blake, and Winter. Yang and Blake started standing upright, preparing their weapons. Winter started heading for the small collection of vehicles that had been dropped off by Pelicans, climbing into the open hatch of a Mantis. The heavy servos of the mech's appendages whirred as it stood fully upright, the autocannons and missile pods on its arms activating with a heavy clank. Cinder simply rolled her shoulders around, then activated the Dust that was woven into her dress. The red dress shimmered and shifted into an all-black bodysuit of sorts, and that familiar flaming blade appeared in her hand.
Ivan stood, placing the sniper rifle on the magnetic strips on his back. He grabbed his Battle Rifle from the second retention strip, then powered the weapon up and watched the LED ammunition counter flare to life. As he turned to see Winter's Mantis slowly stomp over, he saw the distant silhouette of a Mistral flagship. Thorne and ONI had been rather… heavy-handed with Mistral's military, but it seemed to be enough to keep them at a distance from the assault.
Just as Ivan sent a quick hand motion to Yang, signaling for her to stick close, Vulture-1's voice came back over the Battlenet. "Vulture's paving the way for you, Third Battalion. Good luck." A moment later, the heavy thrumming of Shortsword engines could be heard overhead, grabbing everyone's attention. Six of the aircraft were flying in formation over the AO. "Guns, guns, guns!" The Wing Leader declared over the Battlenet, signaling incoming ground fire. Ivan watched as anti-air batteries within the White Fang facility flared to life, heading for the wing of Shortswords. It was far too little, too late.
The earth shook as a veritable carpet of munitions fell on the White Fang headquarters in Mistral, kicking up dust and debris in all directions. The approach leading up to the facility itself also found itself engulfed in flame as the bombing run activated the landmines. "Third Battalion, move in!" Ivan declared, running over to the rear of a Gauss 'Hog and manning the cannon. "Cinder, with me! Blake and Yang, stick with Winter!"
"Got it!" Yang affirmed, running after the stomping Mantis as it knocked the thin trees aside.
Once Cinder climbed into the passenger's set, Celese keyed the engine and began moving towards the facility.
As the UNSC forces broke concealment and began converging on the White Fang's HQ, the full breadth of this Battalion made itself known rather clearly. Well over eighty Warthogs of varying types, thirty Scorpion-II MBTs, ten Grizzly Heavy Tanks, twelve Mantis Mechs, and a pair of Cobras emerged from the forest surrounding the facility. Three Condor Gunships and an escort of twelve Sparrowhawks followed behind the ground assault, the heavy gauss cannons of the aircraft hammering down on targets visible through their thermal optics. Just over 1,200 Marines and their vehicle support were converging on the largest White Fang facility on Remnant, and it was truly shaking the planet to its core.
After closing the distance relatively unopposed, the first of the UNSC's ground forces arrived at the rubble that was once the defensive wall. Dust and debris was still slowly making its way towards the surface, reducing visibility. Celese pulled on the handbrake, bringing the Warthog to a stop just at the edge of the rubble. She and Cinder jumped out of the vehicle, while Ivan wheeled the gauss cannon around to scan for hostiles. By the looks of things… there weren't any. There were shattered and broken Paladins, twisted masses of metal that were once anti-air batteries, and mangled bodies littering the large courtyard. The ground around them had been blackened by high-explosive munitions, leaving almost nothing in its wake.
Satisfied that there was no resistance on the outside of the facility, Ivan jumped from the back of the Warthog. "Alpha Company, secure the perimeter." He spoke into the Battlenet, just as Winter, Blake, and Yang arrived. "Bravo and Charlie, break off and clear the facility!"
Ivan turned to see Winter powering down the Mantis, climbing out of the hatch and passing the controls off to a waiting Marine. "I'll take point for Charlie." She explained, producing her M7 SMG.
"Copy." Ivan nodded. "You three…" He motioned to Cinder, Yang, and Blake. "With me."
February 27, 2683; 0512 Hours
Remnant, Orbit (UNSC In Spirit of Fire Bridge)
"Director, Third Battalion confirms entry to the facility." Agent Anastasia explained, flipping through the mission updates on her datapad. "Perimeter has been secured and the facility is being cleared."
"Excellent." Thorne nodded, seeing a confirmation ping appear on his own datapad. As he opened the notification, he saw that the Avalon had confirmed the relic's arrival on-board, and was now en-route to FLEETCOM Alpha on Reach. He allowed himself a smile, knowing that one more loose end had been tied up and was well out of Salem's reach for the time being. He had to admit, seeing the glowing green orb suddenly fade into a rather ornate lantern on after its pulsating had concluded was rather strange, but he simply attributed it to the Relic being of Precursor design. "Any word on the Specimen?"
"Yes, sir." Agent Yorck affirmed. "Analysts detected faint Hawking Radiation within the creature's orb, suggesting some form of biological Slipspace communication. We've so far been unsuccessful in finding the link point." Yorck tapped his Datapad for a moment. "And the analysis corroborates what the Forerunners found, there's an alarming similarity between the Grimm and the Flood. The 'cells' that make up Grimm creatures are similar in design to a Flood spore. Thankfully, that's where the similarities end."
"Confirms what we already know…" Thorne shrugged. "What about this update on Grimm activity?"
"It's strange…" Yorck returned. "The Grimm that have been infesting Beacon are dispersing, and the Wyvern has decomposed. We're receiving similar reports across Remnant, the Grimm seem to be losing the higher intelligence we've observed since the fall of Beacon. Almost like they're reverting to the feral state outlined in Colonel Chesnokov's original reports."
Thorne sighed. He had almost seen something like this coming. It seemed that Salem realized a change of plans was necessary. The CCT network had finally been rendered obsolete just a few hours ago, and a planet-wide firmware update had been rolled out to bring all electronics into the UEG's Waypoint Network. Salem's minions had either been turned to the UEG or killed outright, and the closest thing she had to a militant force was in the process of being crushed. The closest parallel to military strategy that Thorne could draw was a tactical retreat… Salem was biding her time, building up. "Well…" Thorne sighed again, running a hand through his hair. "This calls for a… change in strategy. Notify Remnant FLEETCOM that the Kronos Protocol is now in effect."
Yorck nodded. "Understood, sir."
February 27, 2683; 0519 Hours
Remnant, Mistral (White Fang HQ)
"Ivan, that's the High Leader's throne room." Blake explained, nodding to the heavy wooden doors. The Marines were still in the process of clearing out the facility, meeting expectedly heavy resistance. Reinforcements were en-route from orbit in the form of ODSTs, and Vorbeck had mobilized another battalion of Marines to assist. With the entire facility surrounded by the UNSC's air force, everyone present knew that this was the end of the line for the White Fang. Blake had taken the whole ordeal surprisingly well. "If Adam wasn't killed in the bombing run, he's in here."
"Alright…" Ivan nodded, exchanging his half-spent Battle Rifle magazine for a fresh one. He keyed into the comms network, linking up with Winter. "Winter, what's your status?"
Judging by the comms chatter, it seemed that Winter and Fourth Platoon had engaged a rather elite group of White Fang armed with old Covenant weaponry. "Heavy resistance in the primary motor pool, Covenant weapons confirmed. Light casualties." Ivan heard the telltale sound of Winter igniting her Semblance, the roar of an Ursa coming over the comms.
"Do you need support?" Ivan asked, slowly approaching the heavy doors with Yang, Blake, Cinder, and a small platoon of Marines.
"Negative, we've got this." Winter's voice was expectedly cool and collected, even as she pulled the pin on a frag grenade. "You just get Taurus, we'll pick up the trash."
"Copy that." Ivan acknowledged, closing down the comms. He looked to the door, motioning for the Huntresses and Marines to stack up. As they did, a Marine placed a shaped C-12 breaching charge on the door and stepped back into the stack, thumb hovering over the detonator. "Ready?" Ivan asked.
"Ready." Yang affirmed, Cinder and Blake simply nodding.
"Breach in three… two… one… mark!" At Ivan's word, the Marine hammered down on the detonator, blasting the doors inwards. Celese and another Marine each tossed a flashbang through the doorway, and everyone filed in after the flashbangs popped.
The platoon of Marines, SPARTAN, and Huntresses all stepped over a pair of White Fang honor guards that were caught in the blast of the breaching charge, finding themselves in a large room lit by wall sconces and ceremonial pyres of sorts. A dozen honor guards stood in front of the twelve pillars that provided support for the large throne room, all of them staggered from the flashbangs. Six more stood beside a throne that sat on an elevated platform, with the seat housing their mark. Ivan flipped his rifle over to semi-automatic, and quickly slotted a round through the heads of the twelve honor guards lining the approach to the throne, the entire action taking just under two seconds thanks to his augmentations.
All of the Marines and the Huntresses raised their weapons towards Taurus and the six remaining guards, who had raised their pikes in a defensive stance. As much as everyone present wanted to simply put Taurus down, they had their orders. ONI wanted him alive, if at all possible.
Even staring down the barrel of over a dozen guns, Adam simply chuckled. "You're all here… how fitting." He stood upright, resting a hand on the hilt of his blade. Ivan felt something rather particular when it came to the six honor guards that remained. Unlike the others, who were simply there for ceremony's sake… these six were trained. They each had an Aura, and a rifle of sorts seemed to be built into their pikes.
"Adam Taurus, stand down!" Ivan shouted, his rifle trained directly on his chest.
"Adam… it's over." Blake said, seeing him visibly tense at the SPARTAN's words.
"I'm not going to let you ruin everything our brothers and sisters have-" Adam found himself cut off by a rather unexpected voice: Celese.
"Don't you fucking dare finish that fucking sentence, Taurus!" Celese shouted. As Ivan looked out of the corner of his eye, he could see that the Wolf Faunus was dangerously close to hammering down on that trigger. "Don't you dare lump all of our people in with the likes of you!" Ivan, in just about any other circumstance, would've put a stop to this; but when he saw the honor guards visible slack their grip on their weapons, he elected to let it continue. "What good have you done for the Faunus?"
"Another one of us, brainwashed by your kind." Adam's gaze drifted over to the SPARTAN.
"Brainwashed?!" Celese continued, startling even Blake. "You've led hundreds of Faunus to slaughter! How many of our people are you willing to use as fucking cannon fodder for your goddamn crusade against the Humans?!"
"She's right, Adam!" Blake shouted. "You can still end this peacefully… please."
"Still afraid to face me alone, Blake?" Adam chuckled. "Fitting… Everything around you is cowardly, even your Semblance." Ivan watched as Blake's grip went white-knuckled against Gambol Shroud's grip. "I've made powerful friends while you've been off with these Humans."
"And where are these 'powerful friends' of yours?" Blake asked, eyes locked with the Grimm mask. That definitely pissed Adam off.
"Because in case you can't tell…" Yang made out through gritted teeth, cybernetic arm unconsciously flexing and relaxing. "She's made some pretty damn powerful friends, too."
Adam let out a low, almost primal growl. "I should've killed you when I had the chance." Without warning, Adam lunged forward at a speed that only a Huntsman could ever achieve. He was almost a blur, even to Ivan's enhanced perception. Before he could even re-adjust his aim on Taurus' charging form, he was already almost on top of Blake.
As he swung his blade in a wide arc, looking to cut Blake in half, he found himself cutting through a Shadow Clone. In the few milliseconds he had to think about it, he realized there was something different about this one… there wasn't a real Blake in sight. In an instant, Adam felt a heavy strike against the back of his head, sending him to the floor in a heap. Ivan, Yang, and Cinder all wheeled around to face him, and the Marines opened fire on the six Honor Guards. Even with their Auras, they simply collapsed under the combined fire from an entire platoon of Marines.
Ivan watched as Blake shimmered back into view behind Adam, who was already getting back on his feet. In a blind rage, he attempted another swing, but Blake saw the telegraphed attack from a mile away. In perfect sync, Ivan watched as Blake activated the active camo unit he had given to her months ago, leaving another clone behind as she shimmered out of sight. Yang seemed to connect the dots almost instantly. Just after Adam found his blade cutting through another clone, Yang lunged forward. Her cybernetic fist connected with Adam's jaw, and both barrels of her gauntlet unleashed a slug. Ivan watched in amazement as Adam was thrown against one of the marble pillars, the impact force sending cracks webbing across the stone surface. Not delaying any further, Ivan engaged his armor's thrusters and sprinted towards Taurus.
Adam, completely stunned, found a full ton of MJOLNIR armor to be slamming into him. The sheer force of the impact sent him through the pillar and crashing into the floor on the other side, his Aura collapsed. He attempted to stand again, using Wilt for support, but he found his blade kicked aside by a familiar black boot. As Blake kicked Wilt aside, Ivan stormed over and locked an Aura Suppression Collar around the base of Adam's skull. "Like she said, Taurus… it's over." Ivan deadpanned as Cinder moved to restrain his hands.
"You're lucky, Adam." Blake stated, completely calm and level. "Our powerful friend wants you alive."
Ivan chuckled, seeing the look of defeat on Adam's face as he realized his Aura wasn't slowly recharging. Ivan reached into Adam's breast pocket, producing his Scroll. Opening the small device, he keyed into the facility-wide intercom system. "Attention all White Fang insurgents, this is Colonel Chesnokov. Adam Taurus has been taken into custody, and this facility is surrounded. Make the sensible decision, lay down your weapons and surrender. Under the authority of the Office of Naval Intelligence, you will be granted all rights and privileges afforded to prisoners of war. Please… let's end this war."
February 27, 2683; 0621 Hours
Remnant, Mistral (White Fang HQ)
Thorne stood upright as the Pelican's rear door hissed open, letting the cool air of Mistral's Northern countryside flood the crew compartment. He had landed on the edge of the ruins of the White Fang HQ, which was now completely occupied by UNSC Marines and ODSTs. Defenses had been set up to hold back any incoming Grimm, and all of the prisoners had been assembled in the courtyard. Agents Yorck and Anastasia followed behind him as he descended the ramp.
Thorne let a smile cross his face as he approached Ivan, who was standing alongside Cinder, Winter, Yang, and Blake as they all watched Adam like a hawk. Thorne couldn't help but have an elated feeling swell in his chest as he saw Taurus' weapon attached to Ivan's magnetic retention strip on his back. The former high leader of the White Fang was knelt down beside a half-dozen White Fang officers, under constant guard from a squad of ODSTs. "Excellent work, Colonel." Thorne praised. "I almost didn't expect capture."
Thorne could practically feel the smile behind Ivan's words, even through the helmet. "I've gotten better at following orders."
Thorne chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't have blamed you if you decided to deny him three hots and a cot on the taxpayer's dime." His gaze shifted to Yang and Blake. "And you two performed incredibly well… even if I'm going to have a talk with Ivan about his use of our active camouflage modules."
"Did you expect anything less, Thorne?" Yang asked, her ever-present cockiness coming through.
"No… you managed to exceed my already high expectations for this operation." Thorne smiled again.
"What's going to happen with him?" Blake nodded towards Adam.
"Like the others, he'll face trial before the UNSC Admiralty Board for the crimes of terrorism, insurrection, kidnapping, and destruction of military property." Thorne shrugged. "With various crimes against humanity thrown in for good measure. Best case, the goliath of a file we have on him ensures the taxpayers don't have to keep him alive. Worst case, he rots in a cell."
"Good." Was all Blake had to say on the matter.
"Well, what's next for us?" Yang asked.
"ONI will clean up here, keep the press at bay until we're ready to make everything public later today." Thorne explained. "I'll be joining you all on the flight back to Vorbeck… I need to have a talk with Ozpin."
"Is this about what I think it is, Thorne?" Ivan asked, casting his gaze over to the ONI Director. Ivan, due in no small part to his position as an ONI Operative, received a message during the battle about something called the 'Kronos Protocol'. Even with his rather high security clearance, he had no idea what that was.
"Indeed…" Thorne nodded. "I'll explain everything soon, after I talk with Ozpin." He turned to Anastasia and Yorck. "Agents, see to it that Taurus is brought to orbit for processing and questioning."
"Understood." Anastasia nodded, moving to relieve the ODSTs.
February 27, 2683; 0810 Hours
Remnant, Mistral (Camp Vorbeck)
Ivan smirked as he pushed the door open, finding all of CFVY and JNPR assembled in the living room watching TV. As he stepped inside, still wearing his MJOLNIR with Adam's weapon strapped to his back, all eyes turned to face the returning SPARTANs and Huntresses. Color them surprised to see Thorne following behind. Ivan could barely keep up with all of the questions, and had to practically shout to calm everyone down. "Christ, everyone chill out."
"Did you get him?" Coco asked.
"Oh, we got him." Yang smirked.
Ivan chuckled as he watched a cheer broke out across the living room. Thorne's eyes scanned the room, eventually settling on Oscar as he walked in from the kitchen. As the cheers died down, he spoke up. "Oscar, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to talk with Ozpin for a few minutes."
"U-uh… sure." Oscar nodded, seeing all eyes in the room turn to look at him.
The conversation carried on as Thorne and Oscar stepped outside, presumably heading somewhere they could talk in private. After a minute of talking, Ruby and Weiss stepped out of their shared room. "You're back!" Ruby declared.
"And you've got his weapon." Weiss smiled. "I take it he's done."
"Oh, he's got a one-way ticket to meet the Admiralty Board." Ivan smirked, leaning against the wall.
Ivan quickly found himself pulled into recounting the entire operation to the rest of his team, Yang and Blake occasionally chiming in to further elaborate. After explaining what had happened, Ivan and Winter both went downstairs to get out of their armor, then made the executive decision to get some food going.
As everyone was eating in the living room, all too lazy to get the table prepared, their attention was grabbed by a news broadcast that overrode the weather report.
More on the recent story out of Mistral, more information on the massive UNSC operation in the Northern sector has been released to the public. The UNSC Marines Third Battalion was mobilized to strike at the primary command center for the White Fang, and they have succeeded in their mission.
Adam Taurus, wanted fugitive and leader of the terror organization, has finally been captured by UNSC forces. Taurus was captured, alongside nearly three hundred known White Fang members and sympathizers, in this recent raid.
The UNSC Office of Naval Intelligence, which presided over this operation, has released a statement regarding the assault on the command facility. To paraphrase the six page-long release, they believe this to be the final nail in the coffin for the White Fang, as intelligence gathered from the assault has provided them with the location of numerous high-ranking members and hidden facilities.
On behalf of the people of Remnant, Human and Faunus alike, the Mistral News Network would like to personally thank the brave men and women of the UNSC for finally bringing this criminal organization to justice.
"Holy shit…" Coco sighed. "It just sank in… the White Fang is actually done!"
Winter nodded. "ONI teams all across Remnant are hitting those hidden facilities right now. It really is over."
February 27, 2683; 1321 Hours
Remnant, Mistral (Camp Vorbeck)
Weiss sighed, playfully rolling her eyes as Ruby brought her a cup of coffee from the kitchen. She had to call upon her stoic façade to keep from blushing when Ruby had carried her down the stars and into the living room to join in the conversation with everyone else. Not that she'd ever let Ruby know it, but she loved having her partner dote over her. "Thank you, Ruby." She smiled as Ruby plopped down next to her on the couch.
Weiss couldn't help but watch as Ivan directed Yang as she played some old video game on the television, her character rolling out of the way of some black-cloaked figure with three white masks. Yang groaned as her digital character was struck by an attack, knocking her health down to zero. To add insult to injury, 'YOU DIED' appeared in large red text on the screen.
"God… damnit." Yang sighed.
"Did you just die to Pinwheel?" Ivan asked, holding back a laugh. "You fuckin' breeze through the Capra Demon and die to Pinwheel?"
"You make it sound like this shit's easy!" Yang returned.
"Step aside, Blondie." Ivan smirked, holding a hand out for the controller. "I'll beat the easiest boss in the game for you."
"Keep talkin' and I'll punch you through the window, Chesnokov." Yang gave a devilish smirk, re-adjusting her grip on the controller and sending her character sprinting through a small graveyard.
Everyone's attention was grabbed as the door clicked open, Oscar and Thorne stepping inside. Strangely enough, he carried a small briefcase with him. "Good… you're all still here." Thorne said, looking to the collection of Huntsmen gathered in the living room. Thorne had to suppress a grin as he watched Yang's character sprint off a cliff when he had taken her attention away from the game for just a few moments too long. With a huff, she tossed the controller onto the floor as those damn red letters popped up again. "There've been some developments over the past twelve hours."
"What do you mean?" Ruby asked, looking up to the ONI Director.
"The situation surrounding the Grimm has changed." Thorne explained, sitting down in the one unoccupied chair and placing his briefcase on his lap. "Based on our analysis, it seems that Salem's gone to ground."
"Wait… what?" Weiss was the first to break the short silence that overtook the room.
"Over the past twelve hours, we've seen a steady change in the behavior of the Grimm." Thorne explained, resting his hands atop the briefcase. "You've all seen that higher intelligence they've begun showing over the past year or so, the hive-like mentality?" At everyone's nod, he continued. "It's gone. They've reverted to a feral state, much like the Colonel's original reports described prior to our arrival."
"Shit…" Ivan muttered. "She's pulled back, to prepare."
"That's the current theory." Thorne nodded. "All of her known assets and connections on Remnant have been neutralized. She knows damn well that she can't face the UNSC and Kingdoms of Remnant head-on anymore. Especially not with the CCTs being rendered obsolete. She can't afford to meet us in the open."
"What does that mean for us?" Ruby asked.
"She's shifted her tactics, and so will we." Thorne answered, succinctly. "As of right now, this fireteam is being shifted from a direct-action force to a covert force."
"What?" Coco asked, surprised. "Why?"
"There's no sense in keeping this fireteam active." Thorne shrugged. "As far as the general public knows, this team was assembled to bring down the White Fang. Knowledge of Salem's existence is still restricted to a select few individuals on Remnant. Keeping this force active would draw questions from the public, and I'd prefer to keep any potential leaks or fuck-ups to a minimum." Thorne held out a hand, quelling the questioning that had started to bombard him.
"I said that this fireteam would become a covert force." Thorne continued. "What that means is that all of you will still be a part of the UNSC's operations on Remnant, but the public will not know that."
"So you want us to become spies?" Yang asked, confused.
"Not spies, more like sleeper agents." Thorne clarified. "To put it in layman's terms, at least. Just like this team, none of you are obligated to be a part of this shift in strategy. It would be a great help to our efforts, but if you decide to return to the civilian world, I won't stop you."
"Fuck that, we're in!" Yang declared, earning a call of agreement from the assembled Huntsmen.
"Alright… that's what I like to hear." Thorne smirked. "Now I'll have to get the paperwork all straightened out, but you will all be formally inducted into the ranks of ONI Section II as field agents." Thorne's gaze snapped over to Cinder. "Speaking of which… Miss Fall, I believe it's time we re-negotiate that little… insurance policy I installed."
"Okay…" Cinder nodded.
"Since the offer of induction into ONI's also extended to you, that would require a… slight change to your criminal history." Thorne explained. "Whenever you're ready, the surgeons on-base will replace the explosive charge with a neural lace. It will still have a tracker, but you won't have C-12 between your vertebrae anymore."
Cinder's face lit up, a small smile crossing her feature. "Thank you."
"You've proven yourself trustworthy enough to warrant it." Thorne gave the smallest smirk in return. "We'll still be keeping an eye on you, but think of it as having a much longer leash."
"Wait, you want us to become ONI Agents?" Weiss asked.
"You'd be ONI Agents, operating in the civilian world." Thorne explained. "For the most part, what you do doesn't really matter. I'm just concerned with having assets embedded on Remnant that I can trust. I do have plans for some of you, however…"
"Like?" Ivan asked.
"Let's start with the easy one." Thorne smirked, adjusting his briefcase. "Weiss."
"Hmm?" Weiss hummed.
"I've got all of the paperwork required to transfer the SDC back to your control in my briefcase here." Thorne explained, as if it were the simplest fact in the world. As Weiss' jaw fell slack, he simply continued. "It would be best if we had an asset in control of the most powerful corporation on the planet. I can't think of a better fit for the position. By signing off on this, you'd also be accepting your first defense contract with the UEG…"
"Absolutely." Weiss nodded. "I'll do it."
"Excellent." Thorne smiled. "And Miss Nikos?"
"Uhh… Hello!" Pyrrha gave an awkward smile and wave.
Thorne smirked again. "I understand that you're something of a celebrity here in Mistral, and you have a few connections to the current staff of Haven Academy. Given how effective you are in combat, with the added experience you've gained from working under ONI and the Colonel for such an extended length of time, I do believe that you'd be a good fit for a position of leadership in Haven Academy."
"Y-you want me to be Headmaster of Haven?!" Pyrrha asked, stunned.
"Not right away." Thorne clarified. "Haven's going to need extensive repairs, and HIGHCOM has decided that they need more… direct control over the goings-on in Mistral, so they've assigned me to oversee Haven's renovations and upgrades. In say… Six months, when the renovations are complete, Ozpin has offered his assistance in running the academy."
"I-I'll need some time to think about it." Pyrrha explained.
"Understandable." Thorne nodded. "Miss Belladonna?"
"Oh God…" Blake sighed, afraid of what Thorne was going to suggest.
"To put it rather bluntly, we need to fill the power vacuum left in Faunus culture and society by something a bit more… agreeable." Thorne explained. "Your father told me quite a bit about what the White Fang once stood for, and what it managed to accomplish under his leadership. It would be best if someone with a fair bit of… renown on Remnant took the reins of this new organization."
"W-what?" Blake sputtered out. "You want me to lead the White Fang?"
"Preferably under a different name and banner, but yes." Thorne nodded. "Your father's going to be rather busy overseeing the modernization of Menagerie, and you're one of the few individuals on this planet I trust for this role."
Blake looked over to Yang, who simply gave a reassuring smile in return. She took in a deep breath, considering the option Thorne had just laid out for her. "Okay… I'll do it."
Thorne smiled. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll have more than a few capable friends who will be able to help you get on your feet." He said, scanning over the occupants of the house. "And finally… Colonel?"
"Yes, sir?" Ivan asked, not exactly surprised to see Thorne had something set aside for him.
"The recent dispersal of the Grimm from Beacon has also brought with it a rather… interesting development." Thorne explained. "That Wyvern from the Battle of Vale has finally decomposed, leaving just the scattered Grimm that have nested in the ruins of Beacon. I've already begun working with Vale's government to clear out the infestation and start on the repairs."
Thorne shot a glance over to Oscar. "With Ozpin in his… current state, he won't be able to serve as Beacon's Headmaster. We've both discussed it, and you'd be the best fit for the position."
Ivan was well and truly floored by that. "Are you serious?"
"You're an exceptional leader, Ivan." Thorne complimented. "You managed to corral this lot here." He gestured out to the gathered Huntsmen. "You'll have the old staff of Beacon to help you get settled in once the repairs are done. The Vale Council agrees, you're the best candidate for the position. You're well-known in Vale, well-respected. To a lot of the locals, you're something of a hero. That and I trust you can do the position, and our mission, justice."
"Alright…" Ivan nodded. "I'll take it."
"Excellent." Thorne nodded. "As for the rest of you, what you do in the interim is entirely at your discretion. Continue your work at Huntsmen, settle into the civilian world, do whatever it is you like. By tomorrow, I'll have all of the paperwork lined up and ready for your signatures. We'll discuss the finer details at the briefing at 1400 tomorrow."
"And after that?" Ivan asked.
"No sense in sitting around." Thorne shrugged. "You all contributed to the fall of the largest terror organization on Remnant… I'd say that calls for a celebration. And maybe a bit of shore leave, courtesy of yours truly."
"Are you saying its an option, or are you telling us to go on shore leave?" Ivan smirked, remembering Thorne's 'request' a few days prior.
"It's me saying 'get the hell off Remnant' while you've still got the chance." Thorne chuckled. "Press'll be all over you guys now that the last op just went public. Might I recommend Sigma Octanus IV?"
"Haven't heard of that one yet." Yang commented. "What's it like?"
"Oh, it's a freakin' paradise." Thorne chuckled. "Blue skies, beaches, and college girls as far as the eye can see." That earned a laugh from a few of the people around the room.
"Just might take you up on that." Ivan chuckled. "Vacation might do everyone some good."
Thorne smiled, a look of remembrance crossing his face after a moment. "Oh yeah, by the way Ivan… your old man sent something your way. Just arrived with the latest supply ship."
"Keepin' tabs on his mail?" Yang smirked.
"Trust me, there's a good reason we do." Thorne laughed. "I've seen some weird shit sent to deployed Marines."
Ivan smiled. "Thanks, Thorne."
"No problem." He opened his briefcase, pulling out a datapad. "Now, Weiss… since I've already got you here…"
March 5, 2683; 0941 Hours
Sigma Octanus IV, Orbit
"Holy…" Cinder managed, looking out of the small space-liner's viewport as it left the Slipstream. She had thought she'd seen something amazing when she had first taken the Vale Tether up to Remnant's orbit, seeing the little world she called home from the stars for the first time. This… this was something else.
The Inner Colony world of Sigma Octanus IV was nothing short of incredible. The fleet vigilantly guarding its orbit drifted through the vacuum, silhouetted against the tropical world's distant surface. Dozens of space stations, orbital hangars, and civilian ships surrounded the planet.
Ivan had given everyone a run-down on the planet, explaining how it managed to escape glassing by the Covenant. How a team of SPARTANs had managed to recover a Forerunner artifact from the Covenant, leveling at least four cities to deny them access to anything more.
Seeing all of this, she was truly amazed. The fact that billions of people managed to colonize hundreds of worlds made her feel… small for the first time in recent memory. Sure, she had felt small when she was taken aboard Light of Sol by Thorne, but this? She felt like she was an ant among giants.
Her mind was pulled out of its musings as she felt a strange sensation in the base of her skull, almost like a light tingling. Ivan must have noticed her face scrunching up a bit, and he chuckled. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."
Cinder looked to him, unconsciously running a hand across the thin piece of metal that had been embedded in the back of her head. Her neural lace was indeed taking some getting used to, but it was one of the most amazing pieces of technology that she had ever seen. It let her access some sort of heads-up-display without a helmet, monitored her health, and allowed her to communicate without a Scroll or Datapad. As useful as it was, she was just glad that there was an option to disable the HUD. Constantly seeing your heartrate and biometrics out of the corner of your eye could get a bit distracting. "I don't know if I want to…" Cinder managed, turning back to the viewport.
Ivan smiled, crossing his arms over his chest. "I can respect that…"
After a few minutes of watching the planet slowly inch closer, the civilian liner growing nearer and nearer to the planet's surface, Cinder spoke up again. "Thank you…" She managed.
Ivan looked down to her. "For what?"
"For the second chance." Cinder explained. "Or, well… fourth chance, I guess."
The SPARTAN smirked. "Thanks for not meltin' my ass off." He saw the faintest smile on Cinder's face.
"It's still hard to believe that you really meant what you said…" Cinder sighed. "Back after… you were captured."
"What, you don't trust me?" Ivan's serious look was betrayed by his tone, carrying just the slightest amount of sarcasm with it.
"I do, it's just…" Cinder began, searching for the right words. "It's hard to believe that you trust me."
Ivan shrugged. "I guess that's one of my problems." Cinder finally turned her attention away from the viewport. "I've got this nasty habit of trusting people a bit too much… comes with having good friends." She saw Ivan cast a glance across the deck, looking to Team RWBY as they gazed out of a separate viewport. "And you've got some damn good friends now." He said, turning back to Cinder. "Might do you some good to start talking with them."
Cinder thought to herself for a moment. She had tried to be as small as possible around the team of Huntresses and Huntsmen that had been working with Ivan, only talking with them when it was absolutely necessary. She had gone back to doing what she did before leaving Salem. She smiled, deciding to finally leave that part of herself behind in full. "Good idea." She nodded.
March 6, 2683; 1831 Hours
Sigma Octanus IV, Cote d'Azur (Downtown)
Ivan smirked as he stepped into the small pub in downtown Cote d'Azur that Yang had wanted to stop at. Of course, with a name like Anchor Management for your bar, that was bound to catch Yang's attention. "I should punch you, Yang…" Blake sighed, shaking her head.
"C'mon Blake!" Yang defended, looking inside. It was a small little place, filled with quite a few patrons. A noticeable few of them were clad in UNSC uniforms of varying branches, mostly the Marines. In-keeping with its name, it was a small pub themed after sea travel with lots of paintings of old wooden ships and the faint hum of music filling the air. "This place seems like it really sets the bar!"
Everyone in Ivan's small group, even Cinder, laughed. Blake playfully swatted Yang on the head for her terrible pun. "Jesus, that was awful." Ivan chuckled, giving a nod to the bartender as he walked past. The surprisingly young man gave Ivan a respectful nod, his tattooed arms moving at a thousand miles an hour as he prepared drinks for the people at the bar.
Ivan slid into a corner booth; with Winter, Blake, and Yang sitting on his side while Ruby, Weiss, and Cinder sat on the opposite end. Teams JNPR and CFVY moved to occupy their own booths nearby, all of them striking up their own conversations.
"Oh man, this is awesome…" Yang commented after a waitress came by to take their orders. "My sister's first legal beer."
"On Sigma O4, no less." Ivan smirked, leaning back in his seat.
"This is my first beer at all, Yang." Ruby responded, a small smile on her face.
"Suuuuuuure…" Yang smiled. "I know you and Weiss have been up to no-good, no need to play innocent."
Weiss simply rolled her eyes. "As annoying as ever, Yang."
"So Ivan…" Blake began, paying no mind to the quiet murmurs around the bar. It was a bit strange to not be wearing her bow, especially in a place like this, but she had a promise to keep. "You never did tell us what your father sent you last week."
Ivan, deep down, just about had a heart attack. It took quite a bit of effort to keep a straight face. "You'll see…" He smiled, hoping to God that he wasn't blushing like an idiot.
The conversation carried on for quite some time. For the first time in weeks, there wasn't a mission to go on, no threats, just free time to burn and fun times to be had. They had two weeks set aside on Sigma Octanus IV, and a certain SPARTAN had quite the plan lined up for everyone.
March 7, 2683; 1951 Hours
Sigma Octanus IV, Cote d'Azur (Downtown)
Weiss cocked an eyebrow as she watched Ivan talking with the waiter. He had taken everyone to a rather… high-class restaurant right on the coastline. They were sitting at a large table on the patio, directly overlooking the beach. She couldn't deny it, this planet was absolutely gorgeous. The setting sun's rays lightly danced across the ocean's surface, giving the whole air of the place an almost picturesque feel. They had spent all day on the beach, and Weiss was left a sputtering mess when she saw Ruby in her swimsuit.
Weiss became even more confused as the music for the patio area suddenly shifted. It went from a soft piano to a rather strangely-familiar song preceded by the soft calls of a brass instrument, likely a trumpet. Winter, much to Weiss' surprise, simply giggled. Everyone looked over once Ivan returned, a small smile on his face as he pulled Winter to her feet. It suddenly clicked when Ivan started singing, placing a hand on Winter's hip as he slowly moved with her to the music.
"Someday… when I'm awfully low. When the world is cold. I will feel a glow, just thinking of you.
And the way you look… tonight."
Weiss just about had to pick her jaw up off the floor. Ivan was actually a good singer. He was by no means professional, but it was a far cry from most people she knew. His deeper voice lent itself surprisingly well to this style of music. She couldn't help but smile when she saw Winter's broad smile and blushing face as she swayed along with him.
"Yes, you're lovely. With your smile so warm. And your cheeks so soft.
There is nothing for me, but to love you!
And the way you look… tonight."
Everyone at the table let out a collective 'Aww!' at the sight. Especially Ruby and Nora. Blake especially found things like this amazing. She was a sucker for a good romance story, after all.
"With each word, your tenderness grows.
Tearing my fears apart!
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose.
Touches my foolish heart.
Lovely… and never, ever change.
Keep that breathless charm.
Won't you please arrange it, 'cause I love you.
Just the way you look… tonight."
Ruby looked like she was about to pass out from the adorableness. She had never imagined Ivan would do something like this. He was usually calm, reserved, and well-collected. He never struck Ruby as a romantic type, but with this… she had a whole new idea of what he was like.
Winter was no different. She had a broad smile plastered on her face as her eyes were glued to Ivan's own. She was absolutely floored by the gesture, and amazed at the fact that Ivan had talked a waiter into playing one of her favorite songs for something like this, especially at such an expensive restaurant. She couldn't help but sing along with him.
"And that laugh that wrinkles your nose.
It touches my foolish heart!
Lovely, don't you ever change.
Keep that breathless charm.
Won't you please arrange it.
'Cause I love you…
Just the way you look, tonight…
Just… the way… you look… tonight!"
As Ivan's little gesture wound to a halt, the sea of "Aww's" returned when he pulled Winter close, pressing their lips together. Weiss couldn't help but laugh. He certainly didn't lie when he said he'd give her sister the best.
As Ivan eventually broke the embrace, he had a small smile on his face. "Alright, I know that was corny as hell…"
"I loved it…" Winter smiled, completely oblivious to the adoring stares from the table. "And I love you. I don't care how corny it was."
"Well, it's about to get a thousand times worse." Ivan gave a devious smile in response. Weiss just about fell out of her chair when he reached into his pocket, producing a small velvet-wrapped box as he dropped to one knee. He flipped the lid open, revealing a small gold band with a diamond embedded in the ring.
Winter just about had a heart attack, seeing the SPARTAN drop to one knee and open that little box. She was so stunned that she completely missed Yang actually falling out of her chair. Try as she might, she couldn't stop herself from covering her mouth with her hands. "Winter…-" Ivan started, a broad smile on his face.
"Absolutely." Winter managed, completely cutting Ivan off as he asked that question.
There was a wide range of reactions from the onlookers at the table, but Ruby stood out among the rest. "OHMYGOD!" She squealed, clamping herself to Weiss' arm for support. Weiss, despite herself, smiled when she saw Ivan slide that ring onto Winter's finger.
XXXXX End of Act II XXXXX
A/N:
Awwwwwwwww! Finally some happy times for the RWBY crew.
What a fuckin' ride it's been with Act II, man. To think I'm only about 60 or so percent done with this so far. Act III will be the last of this story. Thanks for sticking with me on this fic, everyone. I hope you're all enjoying thus far.
Now, the final review response section for Act II!
BrutusPrimus- Thanks, man. That actually means a lot. It's still hard for me to believe that people actually read my stuff, and the amount of praise you guys give is just amazing.
GrnDrgnzrd- I'd say to go back and read it. A lot of the previous plot points have either been heavily re-written or changed completely. There'll be some stuff in the upcoming Act III that'll directly reference stuff from the re-written chapters.
TheFishKing- I had originally meant to include that reference a lot sooner, but I had totally forgotten about it until that last chapter.
iZuikaku- We'll see what I have in mind for Salem. I'll say this much, it's probably not what you guys are all thinking.
Kylen Phylar- For the most part, RWBY canon hasn't really affected how the story's progressed. The plot has remained relatively the same, the only real difference is Ozpin coming back. When I had originally written this Act, just after Volume 3, I didn't see Ozpin reincarnating coming. Luckily, that was pretty easy to throw in, and I think I've made it work so far. Well, Ozpin and the goddamn Relic from Haven.
Guest #2- Salem's already got the Relic from Beacon, there's not really much the UNSC or Team RWBY can do about that one.
Guest #3- All about Salem will be revealed in due time. As for why her voice sounded eerily familiar to Thorne, that was more of a nod towards the fact that Jen Taylor (the voice actress for Salem) also voiced Cortana and Halsey in the Halo games.
Psihopatul- I actually hadn't read Roadside Picnic at the time I wrote that part. I've since read it (since I'm a huge fan of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games), and I absolutely loved it. I mostly included Glukhovsky and McCarthy because they're huge influences on an original story I'm writing behind the scenes.
And that's that for the reviews. Thank you all so much for sticking with me on this. I promise that this fic will get finished (hopefully by the end of the year, since I've got another like, 20 or so chapters to write).
As always, see you guys next update,
-TallYapflip
